


That Which is Most Admired

by imaginarypasta



Series: DP Side Hoes Week 2020 [6]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: (he just makes a cameo so we can get some paulina lore), side hoes week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:41:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23238619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginarypasta/pseuds/imaginarypasta
Summary: Glimpse into the life of Paulina.DP Side Hoes Week Day 6 (Ember/Secrets) (just secrets)
Series: DP Side Hoes Week 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668535
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	That Which is Most Admired

There was only so much Paulina could handle in a day. If she was honest, the cap had extended quite a bit in the last few years, but today was one of those days that things were just too much. She had a headache. 

Four ghost attacks. Big ones, too. No one with a name, at least not one she knew, but they were the big leviathans that always caused an immense amount of fear and even more damage. Phantom took three of them out on his own, the fourth with the Red Huntress.

Paulina caught him walking down an alley after the last one of the afternoon. It was the first time she hadn’t seen him at least a few feet in the air. He pulled himself along the cement, too close to a dumpster for her taste and covered in bruises.

“You okay?” she asked. She thought it was probably dumb to ask, since she wouldn’t really know how to help a ghost anyway. 

“Hmm?” he said, turning around. His face was caked in ectoplasm; she resisted the urge to ask if it was his. He cracked a grin, but his face was so sunken it looked frightening. “Oh, yeah, fine.”

This was the boy she’d spent months obsessing over when he’d first come into the public consciousness. She had good reason, back then. He was heroic, funny, strong. All the things she’d wanted. Probably, she’d still be into him now, if he didn’t look so tired all the time. It wasn’t that she found his efforts repulsive, no, she had just realized a while ago that the idolized version of himself he presented wasn’t all true. He was exhausted, she realized, and she was still grateful and still a fan, but she didn’t call him perfect anymore. A long time ago, she’d stopped loving him, ever since she discovered she didn’t really know him.

She leaned against the alley wall, denim jacket making a noise she didn’t really like as it scraped against the brick wall. “Well, thank you.”

He didn’t move. “Of course, no problem, citizen.”

Paulina cocked her head to the side. “I mean it. We don’t say it enough. _I_ don’t say it enough.” He nodded, not smiling like he always did when he was putting on a show, but like he was considering her words. She really hoped he was. “Anyway, I’ll see you around.”

He left after that, or at least faded into invisibility. She thought that maybe she should’ve checked on him more. He probably didn’t have anyone to do that for him now. Maybe she should try to find him and offer help.

Instead, she went to Star’s apartment. Her friend’s parents had made her a key a long time ago, back when the ghost attacks started getting bad. They were always so welcoming, so cautious. Paulina was a little jealous of Star for that. She would never let her know that, of course.

Star was already in her room, talking to Valerie on the bed. Paulina threw down her backpack and sat beside the duo on the bright yellow comforter. 

“Hey, Val,” Paulina said, fiddling with the zipper on her jacket. Star had wrapped a blanket around Valerie’s shoulders. She looked up at Paulina as she sat, revealing a scattering of scrapes and bruises along her cheek. “Holy _shit_ , what happened to you?”

“Mmm,” Valerie said. “Ghosts.”

“Star, have you—” Paulina began, although the question didn’t really need to be asked.

“Yes, of course,” she answered. “I didn’t think band-aids would be a good idea on her face though.”

“Maybe just try to cover it up with your hair?” Paulina suggested. “I’m sure he won’t notice.” 

It was a lie, of course. Mr. Gray noticed everything about Valerie. It’s what made him such a good father. Paulina pushed down the envy. She really needed to work on that.

“You can stay the night,” Star offered.

“I don’t know, guys…” Valerie said.

“Really,” she continued. “I’ll ask my parents to order pizza. We’ll watch a movie. Girls’ night in.” She didn’t mention that every night was girls’ night since Paulina had moved out of her parents’ house. That was good, she thought, because she wasn’t sure if she was ready for Valerie to know yet.

“Come on, V,” Paulina urged. 

Valerie sighed, then nodded, “Okay, fine.”

* * *

Later in the night, when Star had left to speak to her parents and Valerie was changing into some of Star’s borrowed pajamas, Paulina noticed a huge trail of scars along her back. For all she wanted to respect Valerie’s privacy, she couldn’t see her friend like this.

“I know,” she said cautiously, “that we’re under, like, constant attack. But if there’s something going on, you can tell me, Val. You know I care about you.”

Valerie was quiet for a long time. “Yeah,” she said. They finished getting changed and sat beside each other on the side of the bed.

“I’m bi,” Paulina said finally.

"Is that why you're staying here?"

"I guess."

"Your parents...?" Valerie began.

"They were fine about it. But things were just weird. You know how they are. It's just been easier to stay here. I just don't… I don’t know how to act around them." She kicked her legs up for a moment before letting them hit the side of the bed, then fell back onto the mattress.

She made a little pensive noise and nodded. “I was wondering why you had so many clothes here.”

Paulina giggled. “It was a tragedy,” she said with a smile on her face. “I had to downsize my closet more than you’d expect.”

"You're the strongest lady I know," Valerie insisted. "I'm sure they're missing you a lot. But if you ever get bored of Star, my place is always open, too.”

“Thanks, V.”

They sat in contented silence for a little while. At some point, though, Paulina could feel the air turn electric.

“I would tell you what happened,” she said. “But I can’t. And I’m not just saying that. It’s to keep you safe.”

For once, Paulina didn’t feel overwhelmed by envy. Instead she was wrapped in fear for her friend. But that would have to wait.

“Hey,” she responded. “I just want to make sure you’re okay. You’re my friend and I don’t want to see you hurt. I trust that you can make smart decisions.”

“Thanks.”

After an eternity, Star finally returned carrying a pizza box. The girls broke out in twin grins.

Paulina didn’t want to rush Valerie into telling her something she wasn’t ready to share. She knew first-hand how that felt. There would always be time to tell her.

**Author's Note:**

> paulinaaa <3 love that girl


End file.
